Equatorial Guinea - bounded by Cameroon to the north, Gabon to the south and east, and the Bight of Biafra to the west - is a small nation of 500,000 inhabitants. Within the past decade, Equatorial Guinea has benefited economically from the discovery and exploitation of vast oil reserves located off the shores of Bioko Island.
Overall, Equatorial Guinea's crime rate is lower than that of its central and western African neighbors. While violent crimes against visitors are rare, petty crimes, such as pickpocketing and burglary, have increased over the past several years. Criminals target affluent-looking persons and residential compounds.
Corruption is pervasive throughout all levels of the government, from graft and embezzlement by top officials (including the president) to bribery of and extortion by the police and security services. Although President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has promised more financial transparency in recent years, corruption remains ubiquitous. The country is home to the world's fastest growing economy, with an average increase of 25 percent per year since 1999. Due to corruption and economic mismanagement, however, little of this economic activity has trickled down to the citizenry.
Civil unrest and public demonstrations are uncommon due to government-imposed controls that undermine social organization. The government must authorize any political meeting of 10 or more persons, for instance, even if held in a private residence.
The most significant threats to overland travel in Equatorial Guinea are poor road conditions and extortion by police and security forces. Paved roads are limited, though the government has recently invested heavily in several paving projects around Malabo and Bata. During the rainy season, April through October, unpaved roads often wash out and are passable only with four-wheel drive vehicles. Of additional concern to travelers, the security services are known to set up checkpoints to extract payments, especially around the holidays.
The terrorism threat is low; no known terrorist groups operate in the country. In 1998, a group of ethnic Bubis attacked several military barracks on Bioko Island, killing three soldiers and several civilians. Although the members were tried on terrorism charges, a number of human rights watchdogs disputed the claims.
In recent years there have been at least four rumored coup attempts in Equatorial Guinea. While some of these were likely fabricated by the government to arrest opposition leaders, in each instance a government crackdown followed. Although opposition members and foreigners of African descent were the primary targets of the government's reactionary measures, all visitors should keep a low profile in the event of coup rumor.
For a free map of Equatorial Guinea and more detailed information, be sure to click on the Destination Brief above.
Please note: the situation in Equatorial Guinea can be volatile and dynamic. You are encouraged to purchase an Intelligence Brief ($7.50) or Destination Tracker ($25) for complete, up-to-the-minute information on the Country, Security and Health, Local Travel Alerts, Entry/exit requirements, Transportation, Communications/Technology, Legal and Financial situation, Environmental concerns and Language in Equatorial Guinea.